Chapter 2 - JUST A COWORKERVanessa wore a black evening dress that looked like it belonged on the cover of a luxury magazine.
She smiled warmly at the guests.
Then she looked directly at Claire.
For one brief second, her smile vanished.
Something cold replaced it.
“Claire,” Daniel said, approaching his wife. “You remember Vanessa.”
“Of course.”
Claire kept her voice calm.
Vanessa extended her hand.
“It's wonderful to finally see you again.”
Claire looked at the hand.
Then at Vanessa's face.
“Finally?”
Vanessa blinked.
“I mean… properly.”
Claire smiled politely.
“I see.”
Daniel quickly stepped between them.
“Vanessa helped organize some of the corporate sponsorship for tonight.”
“That was kind of her.”
Claire looked at her husband.
“You could have told me she was coming.”
Daniel's expression tightened.
“It was a surprise.”
A surprise.
Claire almost laughed.
There was something about the way he avoided her eyes that made her stomach turn.
Before she could say anything, Emily came running across the room.
“Daddy!”
Daniel's face instantly softened.
He lifted his daughter into his arms.
“Happy birthday, princess.”
Emily laughed.
Claire watched them.
That was what mattered.
Her daughter.
May you like
She had promised herself she would never allow anything to destroy Emily's happiness.
Even if her own marriage was already beginning to crack.
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